Method of making stockings



lll

Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES HARRY C. LANGER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ME'JTHODv OF MAKING STOCKINGS.

Application led October 17, 1925. Serial No. 63,063.

This invention relates to a method of knitting full-fashionedv stockings.

Full-fashioned stockings are knit upon straight knitting machines and, as is well known, it is the customary practise to knit the stocking on two separate machines known` the production of full-fashioned stockings.

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects and objects-of such invention are to provide a method of knitting full-fashioned stockings in which the production of seconds is eliminated, and in which skilled labor and loss of time due to transferring is wholly avoided.

More specifically this invention has for its object to provide. a method of knitting fullfashionedstockings upona straight kmttmg machine which requires no transfer nor change of main body threads, and which continuously knits the leg and instep portion of the stockings without any line of demarkation, and which knits all portions of the stocking upon the same machine.

In general this invention is an improvement over that disclosed in my copending application for stocking and method of making, filed 'October 20, 1924, Serial No. 744,788, Patent bld/1,563,868, and has the same general objects as those disclosed 1n such application.

Further objects are to provide a method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking which will produce a stocking similar in all appeari ances to the ordinary full-fashioned stocking, and .in'which the lines of knitting for the heel tabs extend at an angle to the lines of knitting for the foot tabs, so that an appearance identically the same'as the ordinaryl full-fashioned stocking is produced.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 to 5 show successive stages in the production of the stocking. y

Figure 6 shows a side view'of the finished stocking.

The term stocking is employed in its portion 1, as shown in Figure 2,

1s used to avoid needless repetition.

In forming the stocking, it is knitted on a" straight knitting machine forming a reduced body portion 1 in the usual manner to the point marked 2 in FigureV 1,-this position corresponding to the instep in the linished stocking. If desired, the usual additional threads may be employed to form reenforces 3. During this knitting process a central carrier 4 is employed which travels back and forth across the entire width of the stocking.

After this pointI has been reached in the knitting, the travel of the central carrier4 is shortened and it is caused to move between the lines 5 (see Figure 2). A pair of end carriers 6 are employed to form the heel tabs 7, such heel tabs being integral with the body portion 1 of the stocking. It is a well known fact that the narrowing of a knitted piece of goods may be comparatively easily effected, but that widening is a relatively difficult and slower operation. In forming the heel tabs 7', narrowing takes place towards the end of the tabs, but no widening is employed. Further, an open row 8 is knit-ted adjacent the end of theheel tabs to facilitate subsequent operations, as will be described hereinafter.

After the stocking has been knitted to the point marked 9 in Figure 2, forming three distinct tabs or portions, namely, the pair of heel tabs 7 and extension tab 10 the heel tabs are thrown off and the stops for the end carof the bodyV riers 6 are readjusted and a new pair of foot tabs 11 are started with welt hook bar. Preferably, a loose row or open row 12 is knitted to facilitate subsequent operations as hereinafter described. When the tabs 11 are started, the central portion or body tab 10 'is buried beneath the knock-over bits and portion does not progress.y

knitting of this Consequently, the foot tabs 11 are knit as independent entities. These foot tabs are gradually narrowed and knitting progresses until the goint 13 is reached, as indicated in Figure Thereafter, the central body tab 10 is raised from beneath the knock-over bits and knitting progresses with the central carrier traveling entirely across the width of the stocking to produce a body portion integral with continuations of the foot tab 11.

g In other words, the foot tabs 11, although merging into the body portion,` are integral therewith from the point 13 on to the end of the-foot, the usual additional threads being employed for reenforcing the foot portion. Knitting now progresses until the point 14: (see Figure 4) is reached at which time the reenforcing threads are fed completely across the stocking and the foot portion is gradually narrowed until itl terminates at the point 15. Just prior to the end of the foot portion, a loose or open row is knitted.

In forming the stocking from the blank described above, the heel tabs 7 are turned laterally, as indicated in Figure 5, and are stitched along the line 17 to the ends of the foot tabs 11.

Further, the foot or sole tabs 11 are stitched along the line 5 and along a line 5 forming a continuation of the line 5 to provide the usual line of stitching found in full-fashioned stockings at this point. Thereafter, the stocking is folded and is seamed along its rear edge 18 (see Figure 6) in the usual manner, the portions of the tab beyond the loose rows of stitching being subsequently raveled out.

It is apparent that looping could be employed, if desired, lin place of stitching although stitching has been found eminently satisfactory for joining the parts in the finished stocking. Y

It is to be particularly noted from Figures 5 and 6 that the widened portions of the tabs 7 and 11 provide a very accurately shaped heel portion in the finished stocking.

It is to be noted further that this shaping of the heel portion is secured without any widening during the knitting operation and consequently in a relatively simple manner.

Further, it will be noted from an inspection of Figure 6 that the lines of stitching of the heel tabs extend at an angle to that of the foot ortion as in the usual full-fashioned stockings, so that this stocking has all of the appearance of the standard full-fashioned stocking.

It will be seen further that it is not necessary in any stage of this process to transfer the stocking or any portion thereof from one machine to another and consequently the entire stocking is knit upon a single straight knitting machine. This results in a marked increase in speed and output, and further results in an absolute freedom from seconds due to the defects in the usual process of transferring, as discussed in the first portion of this application'.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention may be variously embodied and is, therefore, to be limited only as claimed.

I claim:

1. The method of knitting a blank for fullfashioned stocking comprising knitting the leg portion to the instep, knitting a centrall body tab and a pair of heel tabs, burying the central body tab beneath the knock-over bits and knitting a pair of foot tabs. raising the buried central body tab, and knitting straight across the centralbody tab and the foot tabs.

:2. The method of knitting a blank for a full-fashioned stocking comprising knitting the leg portion to the instep, knitting a pair of heel tabs and 'a central body tab, holding the stitches of the central body tab, knitting foot tabs on opposite sides of the central body tab, and thereafter knittin'Y straight across the central body tab and the foot tabs.

'3. 'I he method of knitting a blank for fullfashioned stockings upon a straight knitting machine having needles and knock-over bits, said method comprising knitting the leg portion to adjacent the instep, knitting a central body tab and a pair of heel tabs, burying the central body tab beneath the knockover bits and .holding the stitches of the central body tab upon the needles, knitting a foot tab on each side of the central body tab, raising the buried central body tab, and knitting straight across the foot tabs and the central body tab.

4. The method of making a full-fashioned stocking comprising knitting the blank on a straight knitting machine by first knitting the leg portion to adjacent the instep, knitting a central body tab and a pair of heel tabs, holding the stitches of the central body tab, knitting a pair of foot tabs located on opposite sides of the central body tab, thereafter knitting straight across the foot tabs and central body tab to complete the foot portion of the stocking, turning the heel tabs laterally and securing their side edges to the ends of the foot tabs, securing the side edges of the foot tabs to the central body tab, and seaming the outer edge of the foot and leg portions to form a finished stocking.

5. The method of knitting a blank fora full-fashioned stocking rcomprising knitting the leg portion to the instep, knitting a pair of heel tabs and gradually narrowing such tabs, knitting a central body tab, knitting a pair of foot tabs and gradually narrowing the foot tabs and finishing the foot portion of the stocking by knitting straight across the central tab and the foot tabs, the stitches of the central body tab being held while the foot tabs are knitted.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

HARRY C. LANGER. 

